Improvement in eefining peteoleum



' @cuentame @anni ff-it.

IMPROVEMENT IN REPINING- IETROLEUM.

fille tigihuli mgmt tu in tlgtse trttert what zum uniting putt ht tinta-nu.

Be it known that I, Founron SYLvEsTnn, of `the ety, county, and State of New York, have invented an improved Method of Maeerating Petroleum; and I do declare the following a correct description theeof,ref erence being had to the accompanying drawing. i

The principle of my invention consists in pumping or passing the petroleum repeatedly and alternately through hot water and through the maccrating material. In passing the oil through the hot-water bath the i coarse impurities are retained in the water, and the finer coloring matter is absorbed by the maeerating material. Asthe oil contains earthy matter of almost equal gravity with the oil, the action of, the hotv water is to expand vthe oil, making it of lighter gravity, while the `same result is not felt by the earthy matter, and of a consequence it falls through the `oil and through the water to the bottom ofthe rbath. This process also enhances the value ofthe macerating material, inasmuch as it protects its capillaries, which absorb the coloring matter of the oil, from being closed up by the ner earthy matter found in the oil.` The passage of the oil' through the het water is of courseupward, as the oil is lighter than water, but through the maceratng material Y it may be up ordownward, which is not essential.

In the drawing, A represents the stop'cock and the tube through which the crudo oil enters coming from its reservoir. The stop-cock B is at first' kept'closed. The oil passes down through H, and 4'escapes in I I through a false bottom full of holes, and asecnds through the hot water J J, which is supplied by the pipes V and W; The hot'oil will then float ou tlieivater in K, leaving its impurities behind. f lhcnce it will overilow by L, and by the tube M O reach the bottom P of the maceratingftank, and through the maccrating material,

collecting in It, from whence it is taken up by the 'tube S and the pump T, and forced through the tube V t upward.

As soon as the pump is set `in motion the stop-cock B is opened and A is closed, therefore the oil will return through I-.I to the bottom of the hot-water tank and repeat its circulation.

To recapitulate the operation, I will `state the course of the oil through the apparatus when the pumps are in motion. The pumps force the oil through T B X H I I J J K L D M E O I Q R S T.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- 1. Refining and purifying petroleum oil by passing it through hot water, substantially as described.

` 2. Reinin f and )u1-if imT etroloum b `washinrr it iu hot water and maceratin with bone-black or `its i l Y a P y D i equivalent, substantially as described.' I f 3. The devices herein shown whereby the water is heated and circulated, and the oil forced through the hot water, substantially as described.

FORDYCE SlfLVES'lIlR.`

Witnesses:

Gao. W. SYLvnsTEn. J. H. SIMPSON. 

